INDUSTRIAL STUDIES

Author: BAPTISTA MEIRELES DE SOUSA JOSE MANUEL.
Year: 2002.
University: EXTREMADURA [www.unex.es].
Place of defense: FAC CC.ECONOMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.
Place of preparation: FAC, CC ECONOMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.

Summary: It proposes an alternative model of forestry for the Amazon region that compatible economic exploitation of resources ocn conservation of the jungle amazónica.El proposed model, called Model Control for Sustainable Development, combining logging with the method RIL with a explotaión contemplation of the jungle.

Author: BERGÉS SAURA LAURA.
Year: 2002.
University: AUTÓNOMA DE BARCELONA [www.uab.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAT DE CIÈNCIES DE LA COMUNICACIÒ.
Place of preparation: ESCUELA DE POSTGRADO.

Author: GARCIA GONZALEZ ANA.
Year: 2003.
University: BARCELONA [www.ub.es].
Place of defense: CIENCIAS ECONOMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.
Place of preparation: FACULTAT DE CIENCIES ECONOMIQUES.

Summary: In this thesis develops a style on the current status of the Spanish company with environmental management systems, through 3 methodology, the case study, a quantitative study with treatment through statistical analysis of contingency and implementation of performance indicators environmental. The main hypothesis telacionan environmental management with the detection and management delas different organizational structures, infactos, catuaciones and results or intangible capital. As a result demonstrates ---------- recorded increases of capital and intangible defined derecta organizational structure.

Author: GARCIA CARRILLO AGUEDA.
Year: 2003.
University: POLITÉCNICA DE CATALUÑA [www.upc.edu].
Place of defense: Dept. de Projectes d'Enginyeria.
Place of preparation: ETSEIB, EDIFICI H PLANTA 10 Campus SUD.

Summary: Based on a methodology of the subject Projects based on the resolution of problemas-proyectos, in this thesis has been designed and developed, a teaching methodology with support for virtual environments work for that course. Once validated, this methodology can be generalized to consider the subject in any certification of advanced engineering. The methodology presented in this thesis aims to solve, based on cooperative learning, the challenge they pose to students in projects to absorb not only content but broad concepts of individual cognitive and social skills in a course of a quarter. Students should be able to determine what it's how soon. We have considered and compared different virtual environments (BSCW, WebCT and open source programs). The first two have been used to implement the proposed methodology. We have analyzed various operating parameters and proposes optimal values. It is critical role of the teacher in the environment. The methodology developed in the doctoral thesis has emerged as useful and appreciated by the students as it facilitates the work individually and in groups, enhances learning and makes the student assimilates the methodology itself Project. The advantages of the proposed methodology have a cost in dedication of teachers.

Author: DUARTE CASTILLO JOSÉ LUIS.
Year: 2004.
University: AUTÓNOMA DE BARCELONA [www.uab.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS ECONÓMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.
Place of preparation: ESCUELA DE POSTGRADO.

Summary: The economic and technological developments are driving globalization. The increase in demand growing homogeneity of the markets and facilities provided by information technology, leading to the wishes and preferences of customers are satisfied with goods and services standardized. In the context of services, standardization, setting up the value-added activities, and programs uniforms Marketing represent significant elements of the global strategy in service companies. In literature, a number of authors have identified these elements are supported by a variety of factors that allow the achievement of competitive advantage locally, and that may be transferable to the global environment, as well as new benefits which companies develop in various markets. However, there is little empirical evidence of this happening. The main objectives of this thesis focused on two aspects: 1-Identify the factors that are relevant to service companies achieve competitive advantages that may be transferable to a comprehensive strategy. 2, Build-a conceptual framework from the perspective of marketing, which comibnan various positions in the literature with some practical business services. To this effect has been analyzed cases involving five companies that produce operating systems and the global market: Hewlett Packard, IBM, Microsoft, Novell and Sun Microsystems. The most significant discoveries of this research indicate that; The breadth of the product lines and services, capital tencológico, contracts, as well as ancillary services comprise critical factors in order lgorar sustainable competitive advantages, and that sfactores can is trasnferibles strategies globalization service companies in high technology. While partnerships and marketing programs, apart from being considered also sources of competitive advantage of companies listed. In conclusion, the author proposes a conceptual framework for analysis of the overall strategy of a service company, which includes: sources of competitive advantage, denotadas by organizational factors and competitive enterprises: as well as the roles played by characteristics of services and the service sector. These three dimensions condition sustaining competitive advantage, as well as the possibility of transfer to the global level. So, the overall strategy will be supported for competitive advantages transferred and the creation of new benefits in the various markets in which the company participates.

Author: CALDERON VAZQUEZ FRANCISCO JOSÉ.
Year: 2004.
University: MÁLAGA [www.uma.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE CC. EE Y EE.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS ECONOMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES..

Summary: Overall this thesis proposes an approach to rural tourism from the perspective of the enterprise, promoting the application of the approach of the complex productive or clustering along the English terminology to rural tourism. Objective instrumentation thesis is the definition of a theoretical model of aggregation and organization of the bid called "district turístivo rural part of models of systemic conceptualization of product / destination and aims at achieving the connection and interaction between business SMEs rural tourism. Within the framework is to empirical evaluation of the application of the model to a territorial space is identified as the Andalusian region through a methodological application of the methodology of scenarios.

Author: PEDROSA REY JACOBO.
Year: 2004.
University: POLITÉCNICA DE MADRID [www.upm.es].
Place of defense: ESCUELA TÉCNICA SUPERIOR DE INGENIEROS NAVALES.
Place of preparation: ESCUELA TÉCNICA SUPERIOR DE INGENIEROS NAVALES.

Summary: The doctoral thesis develops a model qualitative (90/10) of interaction between the concepts of strategy or strategic thinking and productive processes as conditional today by the frenzied technological development, so that its implementation is possible revision of all phases of all, from a very early stage and crucial as is the vision of the business until the realization in the processes of production and operation. Thus the process of implantation analyzes proposed a "concept of life" valid throughout the chain that identifies strategic trends and connects with the competitive environment of industrial process and service. Thus it is possible to analyze, predict and plan a strategy for the service industry and an industrial strategy for services, which allows long-term sustainability supported primarily in the differentiation rather than reducing costs, as the advantage cost is easily imitable and hardly sustainable. By contrast the "differentiation" in the various sectors in which the company competes, allows you to create value in the strategic sense of industrial process of both tangible and intangible, to get into the time the project's viability.

Author: RODRÍGUEZ LÓPZ NURIA.
Year: 2004.
University: VIGO [www.uvigo.es].
Place of defense: FAC. CC. ECONÓMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.
Place of preparation: FAC. CC. EE. Y EMPRESARIALES DE VIGO.

Summary: This paper addresses from the perspective of transaction costs, the interrelationships that arise between the characteristics of transactions, and different government structures associated with the strategies of vertical integration. The main results obtained show the presence of attributes in varying degrees in the structures of government adopted in the subsector of Internet providers. Also stress the importance of the variables related to the specific physical and human, with the possession of knowledge, technological uncertainties, and internal human, with the market structure reflected by the amount of players, and temporary variables related trust and the frequency of the transactions, the exchange of information and past adaptations past. Among this second group of variables, proximity to knowledge, the specific and the market structure is configured as the main differentiating factors of cableoperadores and telephone operators, the two samples studied access providers.

Author: SERER FIGUEROA MARCOS.
Year: 2004.
University: POLITÉCNICA DE CATALUÑA [www.upc.edu].
Place of defense: Aula Capella.
Place of preparation: ETSEIB, EDIFICI H PLANTA 10 Campus SUD.

Author: ESPINOSA PASCUAL JUAN M..
Year: 2004.
University: BURGOS [www.ubu.es].
Place of defense: ESCUELA POLITÉCNICA SUPERIOR.
Place of preparation: ESCUELA POLITÉCNICA SUPERIOR.

Summary: In this Doctoral Thesis has developed a system to manage and analyze nonconformities and recalmaciones occurring in the production processes, and specifically in the construction of building and civil works. It also showed in companies analyzed, which gesionan their works with quality management systems, the percentage on turnover of nonconformities fails to be more than a 3% or 4%. Percentage below the estimates are described in numerous publications that situán within the range of 5% to 10%. To determine the percentages have been mainly used 3,720 nonconformities provided by a major company costructora Spanish international and 191 surveys answered by Responsible for Quality Management Systems and heads of works belonging to feel large construction companies. Equally results have been achieved on the main causes of non-compliance and on the activities of more nonconformities recorded, analyzed estdísticamente dependency (via the chi-square test) and the meaning of the relationship (through the waste defined corrected). All this leads us to propose a logit model to calculate the probability that a non-compliance detected in the work has a cost higher than the average cost, both in construction and in civil works. Pro finally has been provided in the surveys regarding the benefits and disadvantages are obtained with the implementation of quality management systems in enterprises, as well as to the causes and activities which include higher cost of non-compliance.

Author: MANRESA MARHUENDA ENCARNACIÓN.
Year: 2004.
University: ALICANTE [www.ua.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS ECONÓMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS ECONÓMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.

Summary: The company as a trader in its own right, independent of the individuals who are listed in it, has to decide which activities and relationships shape their existence and characterized its market share. Define what are its limits, what goods and services will be provided on the outside and what value will make its economic intervention, as well as the kind of relationship with its suppliers, distributors and customers will be one of the tasks facing his arrival market and during their stay there. The investigation raised focuses on the study of one of the basic corporate strategies: vertical integration, which according to the proposal would be configured from the following decisions: 'The definition of the limits of the vertical activity, establishing business vertically related in which the company is involved as well as activities to develop internally in each of them .. The degree of integration between business areas and activities, it affects the organization, coordination and self Choosing the company. 'The combination of shapes or patterns of development for R organizing various activities necessary. However, although its definition emanates from the highest levels, its effects are felt not only at the corporate level, but also at the level of business and in the field funcional.A spite of the variety of approaches that have addressed the issue (economy the transaction costs, industrial organization, strategic approach) and that vertical integration has been a key issue in the study of business management over the past few decades, there is not yet a unified and coherent vision of this strategy. In trying to unravel the factors that affect the decisions that make up this strategy and relying primarily on the strategic approach, we will try to validate the importance of a number of constraints (cost efficiency, concentration of resources and key skills, learning) underlying aJas decisions raised according to qistintos approaches. Furthermore, since the theory of resources and capabilities are targeted certain relationships between the strategy of vertical integration and results achieved by the company. So hopefully the performance of the company is dependent, at least in part, by the configuration that may be established in their field vertical activity. Therefore try to draw some conclusions in this regard, not limited solely to the study of profitability but also including other indicators éxito-fracaso empresarial.Para development of this research have focused part of the empirical work in industrial companies belonging to chemical industry of great importance to the Spanish economy, not only because of their numbers but above all by its dynamism. Their conditions on the state of technology and market developments, as well as the growth experienced in recent years by a whole range of ancillary industries to it, allow any company set its strategy of vertical integration vertical or contemplating a broad spectrum of possibilities . The results achieved allow us to see that, indeed, there is a strategy of vertical integration and single it is configured in the election by the company of an option in each of the dimensions considered. Each of these decisions will be influenced by factors other than those affecting other.

Author: ROBERT GADEA ANTONIO.
Year: 2004.
University: POLITÉCNICA DE CATALUÑA [www.upc.edu].
Place of defense: AULA CAPELLA DE ETSEIB.
Place of preparation: MOGA CAMPUS NORD.

Author: SÁNCHEZ SELLERO FRANCISCO JAVIER.
Year: 2004.
University: VIGO [www.uvigo.es].
Place of defense: FACULTADE DE CIENCIAS ECONÓMICAS E EMPRESARIALES.
Place of preparation: FACULTADE CC. ECON. E EMPRES. (UNIVERSIDAD DE VIGO).

Summary: This Doctoral Thesis conducting research on the dynamics of endogenous development and flexible specialization, the decision regarding location models of regional competitiveness and incorporation of technological innovation. So we look from a critical point of view the various classical theories and models of current industrial location, the alternative paradigm of endogenous development and industrial districts, the business networks, strategic alliances front of the hierarchy or the marketplace, sistemasa industry and the problems the size business. Finally, we close the exegesis of theoretical research, focusing on the impact of technological innovation and competitiveness on the location and regional development. The conceptual framework, briefly mentioned, has been constrastado in the light of an application technologies mature, in a clear parallel with the development teóric the district Italians, exemplified in the same areas and concentrations territorial Carpi, Como, Prato and Sassuolo). In particular, we analyze the ocncentraciones district textiles in Catalonia, the cluster Inditex-Arteixo, the cluster textil-hogar of Mariola (Alcoy-Onteniente) and the ceramic district of Castellon (triangle Onda-Alcora-Villarreal). In the empirical part of the investigation have contrasted the existence of distinct behaviors of enterprises engaged in territorial concentration phenomena (FCT's) regarding companies which operate independently with respect to its space environment (including increased presence of strategic alliances, externalities , efforts in R & D, technical schools and the use of regional providers). Equally evidenciamos territorial differences in models endogenous locacional rationality, the presence of technical schools and corporate policies of component technology. We determined that relations with the sociopolitical environment and institutional characterize industrial districts. A factor analysis for major components delimitamos four main factors explaining the decision locacional, subjectivity, terms of industrial land, proximity to suppliers and customers and circumstances logistics, infrastructure and transportation. So adiconamos the pattern locacional generic, territorial and significant differences according FCT's. Through the implementation of structural equations models and four (two factorials, a causal and a análisi path) to reach the conclusion that the productivity and expertise contribute to regional development and business competitiveness, so that the models combine elements of competitiveness Fordist and flexible specialization.

Author: Cid Araiztegui Mikel.
Year: 2004.
University: MONDRAGÓN UNIBERTSITATEA [www.mondragon.edu].
Place of defense: Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales-Oñati.
Place of preparation: Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales.

Summary: This dissertation part of the assumption that the dominant economic development system creates wealth and prosperity but also social exclusion and regional levels. Faced with this problem arises social economy in general and in particular the cooperative venture as a possible solution. This is assumed to be essential to prove that the company is competitive. It is the assertion of Milton Friedman and the Chicago School of any company that would depart from the maximum of conceiving the increase in value of the action as the only rational motivation in the development of business, it will be inefficient and therefore not competitive. To test this assertion is not always true, this thesis aims to show eight cases of work cooperatives, ie companies engaged socially occupying competitive positions in their markets. These are examples to the allegation against Friedman. After defining a working methodology itself and select cases in Quebec, Emilia-Romagna and Mondragon, we proceeded to the collection and analysis of data. After the field work in each region, the companies surveyed had obtained high scores in both dimensions, in the social commitment measured in terms of 7 cooperative principles of the International Cooperative Alliance and its efficiency and competitive position in terms of the Balanced Scorecard Comprehensive Kaplan and Norton. Thus, the assumption has been enhanced and it has been shown that what was said by Friedman is not always true. The strong social commitment is not always an impediment to business excellence.

Author: NÚÑEZ ALDAZ IMANOL.
Year: 2004.
University: PÚBLICA DE NAVARRA [www.unavarra.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD CC.EE. Y EMPRESARIALES.
Place of preparation: UNIVERSIDAD PÚBLICA DE NAVARRA.

Summary: There are few business problems which cause so much concern and controversy in society as accidents. In addition to its impact human, moral and social, occupational accidents and diseases pose a great economic cost for society and for business. Growth dela Spanish economy over recent times has been accompanied by the tragic increase in the rate of accidents in all economic activities. Faced with the growing attention the media paid to this phenomenon contrasts the low interest aroused in our academic disciplines. The investigation of this phenomenon from an economic perspective and the company's management has been very limited. Evidence of this are the limited scientific publications in this field exist in magazines academia. This dissertation deals with the study of several issues related to the economic analysis of the accident: the regulation of the prevention of occupational hazards and wing effectiveness of prevention efforts undertaken by the companies. The thesis is designed and organized into four articles of independent reading. In Chapter 1 reviews the characteristics of good preventive and its market in order to determine how they influence the choice of the level of effort of prevention by businesses. From the literature review chapter of the main objective is to identify, on the one hand, the main difficulty for the market, by itself, generates necessary incentives for investment in optimal preventive effort, and secondly the intervention mechanisms aimed at correcting the effects of such imperfections. In Chapter 2 is an empirical study of the effect of the Law on Prevention of Accidents at Work (LPRL) on the accident. The goal is to analyze the effectiveness of the adoption dela regulations on the prevention of accidents at work in Spain. To this end, we used annual data on minor and serious accidents in 43 industries. We distinguish two periods, the period before the full entry into force of the regulation and its extensions regulations (1988-1996) and the later period (1997-2003). The results obtained reveal that following the adoption of LPRL, minor accidents rose significantly, however, eliminate the influence of incentive to seek low, ie using the number of serious accidents, the introduction of the regulation creates a reduction significant accidents. Chapter 3 is devoted to the study delas cyclical fluctuations of occupational accidents and diseases. In the case of accidents, we used a series of minor accidents that have resulted in a low labor minor accidents as well as those who have not finished in the granting of a laborer. Additionally, we analyzed the characteristics of fluctuations in fatal accidents. The goal of the chapter is to identify differences in the nature of the factors that cause. The analysis is particularly interesting in the case of variables such as unemployment that may affect the incentive to seek lower labor. Thus, in times of recession, when the unemployment rate is high, the probability of losing a job or a promotion, to remain low is high. Therefore, in the case of minor accidents and diseases, in which the decision of workers to stay low or further develop their business, there may be a relationship between the unemployment rate and Evolution the above-mentioned series. By contrast, in the case of fatal accidents or minor accidents without low, which is not the fact of absence from work, cyclical fluctuations can be explained only from the standpoint of deteriorating os factors tecnológico-organizativos. The results confirm that the rate of desemple 8 or No a9c egativamente related accidents and minor diseases. In the opposite direction, there is no meaningful relationship in the unemployment rate to fatal accidents, accidents or without mild low. It can be said that when labor market conditions improve, the loss of employees who depend on the decisions declaration of workers increases. With regard to fatal accidents, the main factor is the intensity of work, possibly the result of the abandonment of preventive practices aimed at eliminating the risks less frequent, ie serious. Finally, the results show that the incorporation of labor affects the minor accident. In any case, the lower bargaining power of the injured workers makes this relationship is revealed, exclusively, on the accident without mild low. Chapter 4 has as its main objective to ascertain whether the intensity and direction of the effort is more effective in preventing certain types of organization. Specifically, the aim is to determine the efficacy of Management Systems Occupational Hazard Prevention (SGPRL) from an optical contingent to organizational parameters of industrial enterprises. To this end, it had obtained information on the primary prevention effort and organizational parameters of 213 industrial firms in Navarre. Information from personal interviews have been crossed with data compiled by the Institute of Occupational Health Navarro (INSL), ultimately responsible for monitoring compliance with the law in terms of prevention. The results show that there is a relationship between the parameters and organizational accidents. The accident corporations engaged in advanced practices in quality and organization of work is reduced while the accident technologically advanced companies is higher. With regard to the intensity of effort into prevention, as expected, is negatively associated with the accident. Finally, the combination of a preventive effort innovative and advanced organizational practices presents a synergistic effect in reducing accidents.

Author: RODRIGUES DE CARVALHO PEDRO MANUEL.
Year: 2004.
University: SALAMANCA [www.usal.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD ECONOMIA Y EMPRESA.
Place of preparation: DEPARTAMENTO PSICOLOGIA SOCIAL Y ANTROPOLOGIA.

Summary: The objective of this work is to investigate the personal skills that are necessary for creating new businesses and for the entrepreneurial function According to the literature review, has been developed a theoretical model on the personal characteristics of the employer, based on the theory the individual skills and entrepreneurship. The research model included the following components personal background, business skills, motivation entrepreneurs, auto-eficacia enterprising and institutional environment, being developed hypotheses for research related to each component. The study consists of a sample of 481 students in higher education courses in technology and science courses business, the data were obtained through a questionnaire directly administered. Our results indicate that sex, family background entrepreneurs, the need for achievement and auto-eficacia enterprising, relate in a positive way with the formation of intent enterprising. Furthermore, the results suggest that there are no significant differences in these variables, when comparing the intent of enterprising students in the short and medium term. The conclusions of the study presents the theoretical and practical implications, as well as the limitations and suggestions for future lines of inquiry.

Author: MURILLO LUNA JOSEFINA LUCÍA.
Year: 2004.
University: ZARAGOZA [www.unizar.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS ECONÓMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS ECONÓMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.

Summary: The objective of this Doctoral Thesis is learning how to operate industrial enterprises in Aragon in the field of environmental management and to provide empirical evidence that contributes to the identification, assessment and understanding of the various factors of pressure and barriers to adaptation to environmental determining the degree of proactivity of the environmental strategy of industrial enterprises of Aragon. The study focuses on a sample of 240 manufacturing firms with at least three employees located in Aragon. The most significant results of the tests carried out indicate that the strategic option most widespread among firms Aragon is the strategy for the legislation, which was introduced in almost half of the firms in the sample. This strategy is to make law enforcement their sole objective environmental, dedicating it to the time and resources necessary minimum. In addition, measures to protect the environment are taken corrective, because they do not require a change in methods of production, work habits and organizational structure of the company. For environmental management professionals rely on external or she is responsible for internal staff that shares this responsibility with dedication to other tasks, making it highly unlikely that these companies have an environmental management system certificate. However, there are also a significant number of companies that have decided to go beyond what is required by law, and try to meet the environmental requirements of its stakeholders, and even take advantage of the opportunities provided for the variable environmental improve the competitive position of the company. As for the push factors that encourage firms to adopt measures to protect the environment, the results suggest that different actors pressure can be classified into five groups: stakeholders related to the corporate governance of companies ( directors and shareholders / owners), economic internal stakeholders (employees and unions), external economic stakeholders (customers, suppliers, financial institutions, insurance companies and competition), stakeholders related to regulation (environmental legislation and control of the Administration), and finally , social external stakeholders (media, citizens, local communities and environmental groups). Furthermore, the results show that the pressures of the various stakeholders are perceived as a whole. That is, when a company receives pressure from any of the five groups of stakeholders identified, perceived as the rest of stakeholders is also pressing. Moreover, in relation to the influence of these environmental pressures in the conduct strategic environmental companies, the results reflected the existence of a positive relationship between pressure from stakeholders and the degree of proactivity of the strategy adopted by the Environmental enterprise. The analysis of barriers to environmental adaptation shows they are divided into external barriers related to the industry in which the company operates, and internal barriers, which are drawn from within the company itself. The external barriers perceived by those responsible for environmental management of the companies analyzed can be summed up in five points: ignorance or difficulty in understanding the law, rigidity of the law and bureaucratic complexity, poor supply sector development environment, high opportunity cost the investment environment and challenges from competitive pressure. Furthermore, these external barriers are perceived again as a whole, which means that if any of the directors receive and 8 stas bar 7c7 reras as an obstacle to progress with the environmental strategy of the company, this perception is extended to other external barriers. Referring to the internal barriers, they can be summarized in three dimensions: limited capacity of the enterprise, poor motivation and preparation of the personnel of the company and routines and past practices. The dimension "limited capacity of the company is described from three very specific capabilities: financial, organizational and strategic, and the results indicate the close relationship between them, to the point that when a manager detects a lack of capacity your company for environmental adaptation in relation to any of these three items immediately perceives a lack of capacity in terms of the others. However, despite the fact that both the external and internal barriers generate concern those responsible for environmental management, but the inability of companies, in terms of financial, organizational and strategic difficult really proactive measures of protection the environment. Therefore, the remaining barriers analyzed do not appear to represent a real obstacle to the environmental strategy, as perceptions of the managers of the companies analyzed.

Author: MAICAS LÓPEZ JUAN PABLO.
Year: 2004.
University: ZARAGOZA [www.unizar.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS ECONÓMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS ECONÓMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.

Summary: The behavior of technology markets is prompting a growing interest in the scientific community. Thus, the differential had been granted (Shapiro and Varian, 1998) has led to be put into question the validity of principles once unquestioned, in order to justify the decision-making companies operating in these environments. This dissertation is intended to contribute to clarifying some of these issues. In particular, we focus on analyzing the role of switching costs and network effects (two of the elements that define the digital market) in the competition which takes place between mobile operators in the European markets. The starting point involves building a competency model that links outcomes (market share and index Lerner) with switching costs and network effects, so that we can conclude that these variables influence or interfere profitability for businesses, and by extension the way it competes. In any case, the doctoral thesis takes a country perspective, in the sense that we try to check what is the influence of switching costs and network effects in the different levels of competence displayed by the countries included in the analysis. The research concludes that levels of competence and switching costs and network effects are inversely related. In this direction, those countries where switching costs and network effects seem to have a more overt, competition between operators is more lax and vice versa. Apart from the thrust of the doctoral thesis, set out in the preceding paragraphs, it also develops a conceptual framework that allows backbone research into postulates related to the Strategic Direction and the Industrial Economy. The work closes with the main conclusions to be derived from the doctoral thesis, as well as a discussion on the implications of the same.

Author: DELGADO GÓMEZ JOSÉ MANUEL.
Year: 2004.
University: ZARAGOZA [www.unizar.es].
Place of defense: CENTRO POLITÉCNICO SUPERIOR.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS ECONÓMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.

Summary: The internationalization of enterprises is the result of joint action on a number of factors, of a different nature, with origins in both external and internal to the company, and that he had driven to expand internationally as a way of growth. Among the factors internal to the company and explaining the reasons which have led to tackle its internationalization process, occupies a central position possession, by business, a pool of resources called. RESOURCES INTANGIBLE. However, despite the theoretical backing, have been few empirical work that had been carried out to analyze the relationship between intangibles and the process of internationalization. The reasons for this is that there are a number of problems related to the definition, classification, and especially the measurement of resources, as these resources usually remain "invisible" to most of the information provided by companies. As a result of the foregoing, there is motivation for the realization of this Doctoral Thesis; with two main objectives on the one hand and contrasting find a measure to collect, as a whole, the value or importance that possess the resources for intangible one company, and secondly, make an empirical study of the impact of possession of intangible resources on the decision to internationalize by Spanish companies. To this end, the Doctoral Thesis is structured in four chapters, whose contents and main conclusions are briefly mentioned below: The FIRST CHAPTER seeks to answer a number of questions arising from the literature review with a view to analyzing, clarify and integrate the various approaches to the definition, terminology, classification and characterization of resources, as well as identify those most valuable to the company and to create a conceptual base from which to develop the following chapters. In the second CHAPTER intended to seek a measure covering the combined value of the intangible resources in the possession of a company. To this end, there is a collection of measures proposed and used in the literature to assess the intangible resources, either as a whole or a part of them. This compilation, although not exhaustive, it tries to collect the main contributions. Finally, it is proposed ratio "q" Tobin as a measure of overall intangible. In order to analyze your power measurement, the ratio is related with six variables that reflected intangible resources at the individual level. To this end, using a sample of 113 companies that have quoted on the stock exchange during the period 1991-1999, proposed a model using linear relationship and, given the nature of the observations, the panel data methodology. Through the analysis confirms the validity of the ratio "q" Tobin as a global resource intangible property of companies, which represents an improvement on the use of individual measures of intangibles. In THIRD CHAPTER, discusses the relationship between the possession of intangible resources and the decisions of increasing international diversification, in relation to the same sample of Spanish companies. Thus, based on a model similar to the investment, he examines the impact of intangibles on the annual increase in the presence of business in international markets. To this end, using the methodology Logit panel, which ruled out the presence of effects. It is obtained that the availability of resources intangible has a positive effect on increasing the presence in foreign markets for it in subsequent periods. In addition, it elaborates on the study of the relationship between resources intangible owned by the company and its internationalization strategies. Thus, the 8 disponi 6ab sibility of intangible resources leads to Spanish companies, first, to strengthen its competitive position in those markets where it had previous presence. As a result of this increased international activity, businesses generate new resources or accumulate intangible which they then take to increase its presence in new markets. Finally, in the fourth CHAPTER, he examines whether the intangible resources, together with other characteristics of the investing company with influence on the decision to locate in foreign direct investment in a country's level of economic development. Based on a sample of 1,228 new IDE, made by companies in the sample during the years 1993-1999 and by Logit analysis shows that Spanish businesses tend to locate and consolidate its presence in industrial countries, which accumulate international experience. To then expand into countries with a lower level of development and where costs are lower factors.

Author: CASTRO ABANCENS IGNACIO.
Year: 2005.
University: SEVILLA [www.us.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD CC. ECONÓMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS ECONÓMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES.

Summary: This thesis is a study on networks interorganizativas, which will look at how the relationships that originate and resources embedded in them are a resource, a potential source of competitive advantage, which is called social capital, and whose size can be strategically managed by the companies to obtain various types of benefits. While equity is a matter of interest and now in the area of business management, yet requires greater understanding of the concept applied to the business and still are few empirical studies that analyze as relations interorganizativas using the ideas of social capital explicitly because so far has been more frequent analysis of this concept in a way implied. Therefore, the primary objective of this thesis lies in advancing knowledge of the origin, the size and characteristics of equity differential and analyze its influence on the performance of the company. This is complemented with other more specific. Thus, the study explores the content and meaning of each of the dimensions that, according to the literature, make up the multidimensional model of capital differential. Research also seeks to analyze how other relationships or networks of relationships different from those that are the main subject of the study may affect the realization of partnerships between companies. All these research issues or objectives will be examined both at the theoretical level, through a thorough review of the existing literature, as empirical level, through a series of analysis that attempt to respond to the problems raised investigation. These tests will be conducted in the construction industry, more specifically in the subsector of the builders of public works in Spain as it sets quite often a system of collaboration to implement the projects called Temporary Union Business (UTE).